Less than a year after she closed her tiny restaurant on River Road, Deborah Tenino has relocated Contigo Latin Kitchen to the grounds of the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa. Contigo is now open in the 3,000-square foot space that once held Janos Wilder's J Bar and more recently Brian Metzger's Poppy Kitchen.
Customers can expect lots of familiar faces, staffwise and on the menu, which showcases "pan-Latin" classics from countries across North and South America.
Popular dishes like the short rib tacos and Peruvian ceviche with aji amarillo peppers and purple potato chips will make a comeback. But with a bigger restaurant comes more storage space, so the menu has expanded to include dishes like a Cuban hamburger with ground chorizo and Manchego cheese. There's also a parrillada platter for two with a host of meats including steak with chimichurri sauce, lamb chops, blood sausage and more.
"The staff is full of people from Mexico, people from Peru, Brazil, Spain ..." Tenino said. So, "grandma's favorites get put on the menu."
In addition to the food, the wine list is also getting a major boost. Tenino's new business partner and wine expert Nicholas Kreutz of Young's Market Company has broadened the list to around 80 bottles from selected regions of Spain, South America and California. The new space will also feature a private dining room called the "wine room," which seats 30 people.
The restaurant as a whole has been redone with a softer and moodier vibe than the bright Poppy Kitchen. To give the rooms a more "intimate" feel, some of the walls have been closed off to make for separate dining areas. The gorgeous scenic patio on the other hand, will look basically the same.
Contigo is open seven days a week from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive. For more information including the new menu, check out the restaurant's Facebook page at facebook.com/contigoaz
